1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a partial-discharge-resistant insulating varnish, an insulated wire, and a method of making the same. In particular, this invention relates to: a partial-discharge-resistant insulating varnish that comprises a mixture of γ-butyrolactone as a solvent component, polyamide-imide enamel varnish and organo-silica sol; an insulated wire that a film of the partial-discharge-resistant insulation varnish is formed on a conductor; and a method of making the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
The partial discharge is generated such that, when a minute gap exists in an insulation for a wire or cable or between wires, electric field concentrates on that part to cause a weak discharge. Due to the partial discharge generated, the insulation deteriorates. Further, due to the progress of the deterioration, a breakdown will occur.
Especially, in windings used for a motor or transformer, for example, in enameled wires that enamel varnish is coated on a conductor and then baked to make a coating film thereon, the partial discharge can be generated mainly between the wires (between the coating films) or between the coating film and the core. Thus, erosion of the coating film may progress mainly due to cutting of molecular chain in the resin coating film or heat generation caused by collision of charged particles. As a result, the breakdown may occur.
In recent years, in an inverter-fed motor system used for energy saving or adjustable speed, many cases have been reported in which inverter surge (steep overvoltage) is generated to cause the motor breakdown. It is found that the motor breakdown is caused by the partial discharge due to the overvoltage of the inverter surge.
In order to prevent the partial discharge erosion, an enameled wire is known which has an insulation made of a enamel varnish that inorganic insulating particles such as silica and titania are dispersed in a heat-resistant resin solution with an organic solvent. Such an inorganic insulating particle can provide the enameled wire with the partial discharge resistance, and can further contribute to enhancement in thermal conductivity, reduction in thermal expansion and enhancement in strength.
Known methods of dispersing a silica fine particle as the inorganic insulating particle in a resin solution are such as a method of adding and dispersing a silica fine particles powder into the resin solution, and a method of mixing the resin solution and a silica sol (for example, JP-A-2001-307557). As compared to the method of adding the silica particles powder thereinto, the method of using the silica sol can facilitate the mixing and can offer the varnish that the silica is well dispersed. However, in this case, the silica sol needs a high compatibility with the resin solution.
When a polyimide-imide insulating material is used as the heat-resistant polymer, a solvent to this can be N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAC), dimethylimidazolidinone (DMI) etc. In general, a solvent is used which contain mainly NMP and is diluted with DMF, aromatic alkylbenzene etc.
However, conventionally, when such a polyamide-imide enamel varnish with the solvent containing NMP as the main component is used to disperse the silica fine particles thereinto, the silica fine particles are aggregated not to allow the sufficient dispersion. There is a correlation between the partial discharge resistance of the wire coating film and the surface area of silica particles in the wire coating film. If the coating film is formed by using a silica-dispersed enamel varnish with insufficient dispersion, i.e., with many aggregates, the partial discharge resistance of the coating film must be reduced. Therefore, the silica fine particles need to be uniformly dispersed without the aggregates in the coating film.
On the other hand, when the organo-silica sol is used as a silica source, it is prepared by dispersing silica fine particles into an organic solvent such as DMAC, DMF, alcohol and ketone. However, such an organo-silica-sol has a low compatibility with the polyamide-imide resin being dissolved in the NMP, so that the aggregates will be likely generated. Further, even if a uniform dispersion can be obtained under limited conditions, there will be generated problems in long-term keeping quality, stability, and reproducibility.